A DRIVER on trial accused of causing a grandmother's death by dangerous driving told a jury he regrets not stopping at the scene of the crash.

Giving evidence at Bradford Crown Court today, Thomas Healey, 21, said he was "shook up" after seeing a black BMW 330i he was following smash into a Vauxhall Vectra minicab about to drop Mary Byrne, 51, outside her home in Mandale Road, Horton Bank Top at 5.15pm on April 20 last year.

But instead of staying to help out, Healey, driving a blue Ford Focus ST, left the scene, driving on to Cooper Lane, Halifax Road and to his friend's house in Buttershaw Lane to get his car's brake pads repaired.

Healey, of Brow Lane, Clayton, who has pleaded not guilty to causing death by dangerous driving, then went to Trafalgar House police station in Bradford shortly before 7pm that day where he was arrested and detained overnight before being questioned.

Healey told the court the BMW had earlier overtaken him in a dangerous manner, nearly catching his front offside wing mirror in Halifax Road, near the junction of Buttershaw Lane.

This prompted a "very annoyed" Healey to follow the BMW as he wanted his passenger, friend Kieran Winterbottom, to take a picture of its registration plate on his mobile phone.

Both cars exceeded the speed limit as they travelled up Buttershaw Lane, St Helena Road, Beacon Road and Mandale Road before the crash took place.

Healey said: "I saw the BMW literally go into the back of the taxi.

"I was behind coming down Mandale Road. I was at least 40 feet away from the BMW. I did not have to brake sharply.

"It was a very loud noise. I was shook up. I had not seen anything like that. I turned round straight away. It was the wrong decision, I should not have left.

" I was shocked by what had just happened. I regret now not helping. I should have stayed in the first place.

"A BMW came up behind me and overtook me and nearly hit me as it went past. He was driving quite fast. He overtook two other vehicles as well.

"I had no idea where the BMW was going. I never tried to overtake the BMW once. I was very annoyed. I decided to follow him. I didn't try to catch him, I tried to stay behind him. I was driving pretty quick.

"We were never bumper to bumper, not at all."

When questioned by prosecutor Tim Capstick, Healey denied he had driven like a "boy racer" or cut up Donna Wright earlier that same afternoon in Manchester Road in Bradford.

The jury has been told that the driver of the BMW, Joseph Robinson, 22, of Westminster Gardens, Clayton, had pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving at an earlier court hearing.

The trial continues.